Tray for fruit-driers



li Model.) I R. GHEESMAN.

TRAY FUR FRUIT DRIERS. N0. 261,307. Patented July 18, 1882.

WEE-Leda as UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. GHEESMAN, OF ATWATER, NEW YORK.

TRAY FOR FRUIT -DRIERS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 261,307, dated July 18,1882.

' Application filed April15,1B82. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. CHEESMAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'residing at Atwater, in the county of Cayuga and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trays forDrying Fruit, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in trays for drying fruit,vegetables, and other substances, in which the fruit is supported bywooden slats set up edgewise and secured in v a frame at both ends; andthe objects of my improvement are first to provide a frame having eachside composed of one piece .of solid lumber simply grooved lengthwise;second, to provide rectangular slats of uniform width and thicknessthewhole length thereof; and, third, to retain these slats in properposition by means of strips of sheet metal permanently secured in thesides of the frame and provided with rectangular openings adapted toreceive the ends of said slats. I attain these objects by theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1represents a perspective view of the tray. Fig. 2 represents inperspective a portion of the tray upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 3represents in perspective a portion of one of the sheet-metal stripsused to retain the slats edgewise at uniform distances apart. Fig. 4represents a transverse vertical section of a double tray constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Heretofore the sides of fruit-drier trays of this class have been madeof two pieces of lumber secured together with pins driven verticallythrough them, each piece having a large number of transverse grooves cutacross its face to receive the slats, and these slats had to be providedwith tenons and shoulders to keep them from slipping endwise. Thiscutting of transverse grooves in the side and tenons in the slats,although requiring much labor in their production, weakened these partsconsiderably. My object is to dispense with this labor and produce asubstantial tray that will not fall to pieces after having beensubjected to the high temperature found in' fruitdrying apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, the side pieces of the frame of the trayare represented at A and the end pieces at B. Each one of these piecesis made of solid lumber, (in one piece,) and the two are united togetherat their ends by means of tenons in the end pieces, 13, fitting inmortises in the sides A. A wooden pin or a screw, 0, being inserted ateach corner of the frame, securely unites these parts together. Plainrectangular grooves a are made in the side pieces, A. They extend thewhole length thereof, and" are of such size as to receive the ends ofthe slats D. These slats are narrow rectangular strips of lumber havingthe form of an ordinary lath, being of uniform width and thickness fromone end to the other. To retain these slats edgewise at uniformdistances apart, there is secured to the inner side of the pieces Asheet-metal strips E, having a series of rectangular perforations, e, ofsuitable size to receive the ends of the slats D. The upper edge ofthese metal strips projects but little above the upper surface of theslats, so that the fruit placed upon the latter seldom comes in contacttherewith; but if an absolute prevention of contact of the fruit withmetal is requisite the height of the metal strips may be made still lessby cutting off the upper edge, as shown at c, Fig. 3; but I prefer tomake the metal strips E as shown in the other figures, as they arestronger and can be secured at the top and bottom to the sides A. Whenthus constructed an absolute prevention of contact of the fruit with themetal strips can also be obtained by means of narrow strips of woodextending the length of the tray and having plain edges, as shown at f,Fig. 4, secured .to the sides A infront of said metal strips.

To construct a double tray according to my invention, the center piece,A, of the frame is, as. shown in Fig. 4, providedvwith grooves on bothsides to receive the ends of the slats, and said sides have securedthereto the perforated sheet-metal strips E, to retain the slats D inproper position. The side pieces, A, of the frame supporting the ends ofthe slats, being made of one piece of solid lumber simply groovedlengthwise, will last much longer th an if made of pieces pinned ornailed together when subjected to high temperatures, and can be producedat less cost, particularly when the latter have to be provided with alarge number of transverse grooves to receive the ends of the slats.

Having now fully described my invention, I 2. In a fruit-drying tray,the combination of claimthe longitudinally-grooved side pieces, A, and

1. A tray for drying fruit and other subsheet-metal strips E, securedthereto, and prostanees, consisting of a frame composed of end videdwith rectangular perforations, with sluts 15 5 pieces, B, side pieces,A, having longitudinal D, of uniform size throughout their length,grooves a, sheet-metal strips permanently atsubstantially as and for thepurpose described. tnohed to the sides A, and provided with root I 1 Tangular perforations, and wooden slats D, GEORGE (JnEhbMAL' with theirends entering the perforations in 10 the metal strips, substantially asand for the purpose described.

Witnesses:

ABBY S. ADAMS, SAMUEL ADAMS.

